See What the Future Holds

You want to be fresh and original, and on the pulse? Well, we got a little something for you. Happy Christmas from the content team!

For most of us, December is the time of year to catch up with old friends and family, and reminisce the highs and lows of 2015. But for the players of the image market it’s the time to start looking into the future and start plotting your visual game plan for 2016!

Motion design wanted!

As you all know, video has become an increasingly popular medium for visual storytellers. The number of videos submitted and sold last year was unprecedented and we don’t anticipate the mediums popularity to die down anytime soon. The call for real-life authentic emotional connections has never been so high. And for those who are still undecided whether they want to make more photos or more videos next year: we found the solution! Cinemagraphy, a hybrid of still image and footage. We love the look and anticipate it’s going to hit it big next year (please submit in video format, not GIF).

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, make it feel real! Beautiful moments in everyday situations can pack a powerful marketing punch. In an age of evocative communication, your content has to be relevant, of a high quality and be capable of establishing an emotional connection. We want to see well-documented real experiences taking over the contrived and overly set-up scenarios.

Give room to breathe

Before you shoot your next series, take time to consider the relationship between space and elements in your frame. Negative space (empty space) is already a very strong element in design, conveying attributes such as sophistication, simplicity and openness. Viewing this space in your images as an essential design component will provide a visual calm for the mind, or in contrast, generate drama and tension making for more interesting compositions. Consider it as a song, a strong musical composition contrasts silence with notes to form the perfect melody. Approach your images in the same manner and allow your focal point to exits with enough silence/ space to breathe.

Show our global goals!

There’s an inexhaustible source of subjects here from sustainable cities, communities, responsible consumption, and ecology to human rights, diversity and industrial shifts, and the global economy. We want to offer content that follows innovation and meets the expectations of the modern consumer. Images that represent smart technologies, artiﬁcial intelligence and virtual reality are very welcome!

The Millennials have had it!

Please welcome their cultural offspring, Generation Z. These guys are highly connected, living in an age of high-tech communication, technology driven lifestyles and a proliﬁc use of social media. Understanding them will be critical for companies that want to succeed in the next decade and beyond, so now is the time to start representing them in all their glory!

The fall of the Hipster Aesthetic

The trend became such a global commercial and social phenomenon, that now their quest for ﬁne-tuned individuality has become a bit of a joke. But is the hipster style really dead? Or has it just slowly transformed into a more personal style of sophistication? Individual characteristics and identities are pushed to the forefront. Surely there’s a brand new market to tap (or snap) into.

Eating with your eyes just got tastier!

Food has always been the core of innovation. In the Age of Instagram, we’ve all become masters of shooting food, but how can we push it much further? Bring on bolder colors, artful constructions, and messy textures.

Flat design is here to stay!

The trend is set to grow, especially in illustrated visuals such as full-screen backgrounds and videos. Flat designs are a minimalist direct approach ensuring the eyes are focused on the product.

Colors and pattern

While bold colors can help your image to stand out, it might be useful to keep an eye on what will be the trendy colors and pattern for next year. Predictions are complex and often a subject of disagreement. While Pantone releases Rose Quartz and Serenity being THE two colors of the year, other trend reporters heralding White as the new trend for 2016. Black and white stripes as well as bold geometric patterns should invade our wardrobes…but rather than just following the trend I would follow this advice: “if a good color sells, the right color sells better.”

Graphic usage went from 75% to 87%, 62% of marketers use infographics, in particular! So it is safe to say that this visually appealing format will stay one of the best ways to convey complex information in 2016.

This year was fantastic thanks to you! We know you’ve worked hard, and we appreciate every of your efforts to deliver a trully sophisticate work. Thank you for your loyalty. We’re looking forward to next year with great excitement!